Where is the Joy? Are we Joyful? Do we have Joy in our life? Do we have Joy in Christ? There seems to be many Christians here on Gamespot and in the world that do not have much joy. It reminds me of some people that I have worked with and continue to work with. They are not that happy in their life and they want to make sure no one around them is happy or joyful either. Everything is negative or condemnation. Now I don't think that we should be in a joyful mood 24/7 and ignore everything, but we must have joy in our lives. Its oky to show joy in our praise to God.
1 Chonicles 15:27-28
27Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen with all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing with the singers. David also wore an ephod of linen.
28Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the horn, with trumpets, with loud-sounding cymbals, with harps and lyres.
All of Israel was shouting, there were horns, trumpets and loud soudning cybmals, harps and lyres. All the musicial instruments of the day being used in joyous celebration because of the return of the Ark of the Covenant.
2 Chronicles 30:21
21The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day after day with loud instruments to the LORD.
Read Isaiah and you will see so much about joy and shouting unto the Lord because of what he has done, it talks about mountains shouting and trees clapping. Yet we should not shout or clap our hands in praise? Let it not be so.
Luke 19:37-40 As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen,
38shouting:
"BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples."
40But Jesus answered, "I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!"
When Israel was delivered fro the Egyptians they celbrated by singing and playing their instruments.
These are just a few verses on Joy and praising God. You might say, well those were just special occasions. We should only sing hymns with as few instruments as possible, we shouldn't show too much emotion. Granted there is a time and place for everything, but when has God ever said when we praise him we should be subdued or only use certain instruments? What better special occasion to celebrate when we go to church than celebrating Christ died for us, that he loves us and will not abandon us. What better reason to celebrate joyfully and at times loud because he has allowed us gentiles into His Kingdom, that he will forgive us our sins, that we will live one day with him. How can we not shout joyfully and use all the instruments at hand to praise him for that. Where is your joy?